Alstroemeriaceae FAMILY

Bomarea acutifolia

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

0/5

Safety & Hazards

The fresh sap of this plant can cause skin rashes in some people. The plant contains small quantities (up to 0.2%) of the compound tuliposide A, which probably hydrolizes on the skin to form the allergenic lactone tulipalin A. People who are allergic to the sap of tulips are very likely to also be sensitive to the sap of this plant[ 65 Title A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Publication Author Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. Publisher Wolfe Year 1984 ISBN 0723408394 Description Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far. , 407 Title BoDD (Botanical Dermatology Database) Publication Author Website http://bodd.cf.ac.uk/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description Brief notes on a very wide range of plants that have reports of causing harm to the skin. ].

Botanical Description

Bomarea acutifolia is a perennial climbing plant producing one to many robust, annual twining stems that can grow up to 3 metres long and 5mm wide from a tuberous rootstock[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ]. The edible roots are sometimes gathered from the wild for local use. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental in gardens.

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeCentral America - Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.

HabitatShady woodlands in oak woods, tropical deciduous and tropical evergreen forests[ 181 Title Meet Flora Mexicana. Publication Author Pesman. M. W. Publisher Dale S. King. Arizona. Year 1962 ISBN - Description Very readable flora but rather lacking botanically. A few notes on useful plants. ]. Damp forest or thickets in the mountains; at elevations from 1,800 - 3,500 metres in Guatemala[ 331 Title Flora of Guatemala Publication Author Standley P.C. & J. A. Steyermark Website http://www.archive.org/ Publisher Year 1946 - 1976 ISBN Description A superb reference, though somewhat dated. Gives lots of plant uses as well as information on plant habit and habitat. The entire flora (13 volumes) can now be downloaded from http://www.archive.org/ ].